Physics Colloquium with Wanda Strychalski on 3D Cell Migration

Physics Colloquium with Wanda Strychalski on 3D Cell Migration

Wanda Strychalski from Case Western Reserve University will present the colloquium "Going with the flow: The role of the cytoplasm during cellular blebbing and 3D cell migration"

Recent experiments of cells migrating in 3D fibrous matrices show some cells experience large shape changes and are thought to utilize cytoplasmic streaming and intracellular pressure in generating leading edge protrusions. It has been hypothesized that adhesion does not play an important role in this type of motility in contrast to cell migration on flat surfaces. It is not well understood how cells generate forces to facilitate migration in this amoeboid mode. Blebs, spherical membrane protrusions characterized by a separation of the cell membrane from the actin cytoskeleton, are one type of cellular protrusion used in amoeboid migration. In this talk, I will present results from dynamic computational modeling of bleb expansion that show that the complex rheology of cytoplasm is essential to explain experimental observations. I will also discuss computational modeling of single-cell migration in a fibrous extracellular matrix, and bleb-based migration in a confined channel.

This colloquium will be in person. If you prefer to join via Zoom, please register at the link below.

Register for Colloquium